Review: Twelfth Night at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Viola in disguise (Brooke Parks) discovers an affection for Orsino (Kenajuan Bentley), as Feste (Michael Elich, center), Curio (Fune Tautala Jr., back left) and Valentine (Jorge Paniagua) look on.Photo by T. Charles Erickson.
In honor of Oregon’s Shakespeare Festival founder Angus Bowmer, OSF is showcasing the popular comedy Twelfth Night which was first produced here on July 2, 1935. In the world today where everyone looks for meanings and studies what great playwrights of the past wanted to convey. Much of course has been written/study regarding William Shakespeare plays.
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night or What You Will was conceived as a festival play, honoring the last night of the Christmas celebration. Commemorating the Magi arriving with their gifts to the Christ Child. A time of pleasure of feasting and music, it’s a high-jenks sort of play which is believed to have been written for Queen Elizabeth’s court. A rumor that I had read once was that Shakespeare wrote love poems to men. Of course at the time men acted all the roles in the plays anyway.
It’s a story that is all about love, passion and gender mishaps with the fool being the sanest one at court or at least the one with the most truthful answers. A brother (Sebastian) and his sister (Viola), twins have been shipwrecked,separated and washed ashore. The both believe the other one did not make it to shore. The country they have landed in is Illyria. Viola new to this country and somewhat along decides to check out this new place disguised as a young man,”Cesario” and she/he soon finds work as a page for Count Orsino. Count Orsino is in love with Olivia a young countess who has recently lost her brother and she has chosen to mourn him for seven years. She wants nothing to do with Count Orsino’s wooing.
Sebastian once ashore with the help of Antonio who rescued him finds himself without money or possessions. Antonio, who has fallen in love with Sebastian gives him money to help him. They part ways and Sebastion heads for Orsino’s Court to seek aid.
The other characters who add more mishaps and comedy included Sir Toby Belch, Olivia’s drunken uncle, their house guest and suitor for Olivia, Sir Andrew, Olivia’s fool and jester Feste. Last of all in the household Olivia’s waiting woman Maria and her rigid steward, Malvolio.
Malvolio (Christopher Liam Moore) awaits Olivia.Photo by T. Charles Erickson.
So the stage is set with the performance taking place outdoors on the Elizabethan stage and what unfolds for the next two and half hours is irresistible fun. Men in love with men, women in love with men, whose gender is not as it seems, love sick men and women who sing love song such as “O Mistress Mine” and snatches of songs that satriize love such as “Come Away Death”. A set that works well with the production set in the late eighteenth century. The courts of both Count Orsino and Countess Olivia provide the grand glamour you would expect.
The cast is up to the task with this play considering the plot has a number twists and turns. All of the actors, it seemed took ownership of their roles and made you a believer with Brooke Parks as Viola and Christian Barillas as her brother Sebastian, Miriam A. Laube as Olivia and Kenajuan Bentley as Orsino, Michael J. hume as Sir Andrew. My two favorite characters of this play have always been Feste and Malvolio. They have to be strong actors who can carry the play. Malvolio whose plight is so sad and yet funny, led to believe that his countess is in love with him. Christopher Liam Moore is at times hateful, very funny and then sorrowful. He is able to convey it all which adds some of the richness to this story. Last of all is Feste. Michael Elich makes a fine fool or jester who is never apologetic in his behavior or actions.
Shakespeare’s plays are wonderful to behold when done well. This production is one to see. For more info about the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, visit www.orshakes.org.
– Ethel W.
